November 1, 2017

Au Naturale Cosmetics Organic Cream Makeup | First Impressions + Look

With my shift in using more natural beauty products in recent years, I have stumbled across many amazing companies which rival industry giants, with the added benefit of being safer to use and causing less harm to the planet as well as the animals. One such brand I have recently been testing out is Au Naturale Cosmetics - I first came across them on social media around the time I went plant-based over three years ago, so I was super pumped to have the opportunity to try their products! They are PETA-certified vegan and cruelty-free, with all their products also being void of gluten, parabens, fillers, dyes and toxins. And, in honour of World Vegan Day (which is today!) - they are offering 15% off sitewide with code vegan15*! If you have been looking for alternatives to your conventional beauty products, look no further!

While I usually prefer powder over cream face products, I thought I would step out of my comfort zone and give some of Au Naturale Cosmetics' cream products a go (the ultimate test, really!). The main reason I usually avoid cream products, particularly base makeup, is because I have combination skin with dry patches, and cream foundations and blushes tend to emphasize them. I was pretty skeptical about the Zero Gravity C2P Foundation Stick*, said to go on as a cream and leave a powder finish. Let me tell you, this stuff is legit! Upon first applying, I found it looked a bit caky, but after it settled into my skin and looking at the result about 15 minutes later, my base looked flawless! Available in 15 shades, I went for Sand, and while it was slightly too light for my post-summer tanned skin, a little bronzer did the evening-out trick. This foundation is thicker and takes a little extra patience to blend in, and offers medium to full-coverage that is buildable. I recommend using a stiffer foundation brush, such as this one, for optimal results. For testing purposes, I did not set it with powder, and after wearing it for over 15 hours straight, it did not budge or even fade and basically looked just as good at the end of the day as when I first applied it! The ingredient list is short and sweet, containing all recognizable ingredients such as castor seed oil, jojoba seed oil, tapioca root starch and lavender oil.

My cheek area is uneven in texture, so I wanted to see if the Au Naturale Anywhere Creme Blush Stick* would stand the ultimate test. Available in six shades, I opted for Sweetheart, which looked like a muted mauvy pink online. It appears much darker in person looking at it in the tube, but the good news is that it can be sheered out quite easily. For a light flush of colour, I recommend using your fingers by lightly dabbing some product on your cheekbones, and blending it out with a stippling brush. Better yet, this product is versatile and can be used on your lips and even your eyelids! Layered on top of their Foundation Stick, it wore beautifully throughout the day, too. The ingredient list is almost identical to the above foundation as well. This blush stick has quickly become my new go-to for fall.

I love purples for my eyes, so I was immediately drawn to the Creme de la Creme Eye Shadow in Shiraz*. It is described as a plum with pink undertones, but I find it has burgundy-brown undertones as well, with a shimmer finish. This is a stunning shade all over the lids, or even just in the crease. It can be easily applied straight from the tube without tugging on the skin. If this shade isn't your jam, there are 14 others to choose from, ranging from softer shades like Ivory to darker, more "out there" colours like Bora Bora, in various finishes: shimmer, metallic and matte. The coverage is on the sheer side, and I experienced a bit of fading throughout the day, so I would recommend taking it with you for a quick touch up.

For lips, I went for the Eternity Lipstick in shade Ruby*, which I would describe as a sheer velvet red with shimmer. When I realized the colour was quite similar to that of the blush I picked out, I thought they would clash a tad too much, but to my surprise the similar hues complement each other quite well. The formula is perfection, creamy and ultra moisturizing, yet not too thick and does not emphasize lines. It also wears quite well for a sheer finish lipstick - it lasted a good five hours despite eating and drinking. The packaging is magnetic, and hearing it snap shut is so satisfying (it's the little things, y'all). The ingredient list includes macadamia seed oil, shea butter, sweet almond oil and raspberry seed oil, just to name a few.

Left to Right | Au Naturale Foundation Stick in Sand, Cream Blush in Sweetheart, Cream Shadow in Shiraz and Eternity Lipstick in Ruby

There is a lot a great lipstick shades here. I do not wear a huge amount of NEIKED so seeing people recommend definitely helps. I need to buy a whole new set of lipstick and this helps me decide on what I should get.

As a vegetarian, I am intrigued! I really want to try these and the colors look beautiful on you. I'm glad they went through the extra steps to get certified. I bought from a non-certified company one time (and they weren't cheap). They had Carmine coloring (which is made from crushed bugs). It also had silk in it (also from bugs - worms) I told them I wanted my money back because they weren't vegetarian. They told me it was vegetarian sourced silk and carmine. I contacted PETA and they told me there was no such thing! I never heard from that company again. I learned my lesson and will only use certified products.

I actually prefer powder products over cream products too but these Au Naturale Cosmetics sound amazing. The Cream Blush in Sweetheart and the Cream Shadow in Shiraz are two I would love to try.They both look like they go on so smooth and it is important to me that they are natural with nothing in them to harm me.Thanks for sharing these awesome products.

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